Abstract: The transformation of any new concept idea to a pilot level and then to a demonstration level culminating to a scaled commercial level facility has an embedded key feature called process safety. This does not evolve automatically unless the process developers plug in these safety features using the most reliable safety tools. And for those who did not embed these safety features, the glaring  historical process accidents were the results. Many scary catastrophic  process incidents in India have happened and we need not name them as we are aware of them. If we focus on process safety only at university level laboratories or research laboratories, the scale of safety incidents here also speaks about the recurring gaps in understanding process safety .

 

Just by looking 7 years back, the NCL 2017 Pilot Plant III  Major fire and the 2018 IISc Lab explosion not only brought crippling financial burden but also loss of life in the institutions. Then, the 2021 IISER Pune major lab fire made all IISER institutions to relook at their safety. Recently in this month (2025), a fire at the Bangalore Bio Innovation Centre gutted the entire centre, devastating financially all the working startups there along with the loss  of IP too.

 

This seminar is a fundamental way forward process safety talk for all personnel getting into the process world for ensuring their own /other personnel safety and also the equipment safety. The seminar gives insights that will enable them to make processes safer and retain the safety knowledge throughout their  career. It involves understanding and managing hazards and risks to prevent accidents and protect people/environment. 

 

Speaker Bio: Mr. Gandham Sriganesh is currently a visiting chair professor through the Center of Excellence in Oil, Gas and Energy at IIT Bombay. He has more than 35 years of experience working in the Indian refinery sector. He is working as a Senior Consultant, HPCL Green R&D Centre, providing guidance and expert technical advice on innovative projects that include higher propylene production from Cat cracker units, development of FCC and hydrotreating catalysts & additives, Hydrogen PSA technology, and ebulliated bed process for residue cracking among others. Before his appointment as a consultant, he worked with HPCL from 1982 to 2019, including holding the positions of Executive Director (Visakha Refinery) and Executive Director (R&D Center). He spearheaded many expansion projects at Mumbai and Visakha refineries, as well as played a key role in implementation of many new technologies.